Scottish Executive

Central Heating Programme

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6589 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 11 March 2004, what the remaining £170 million from the initial budget of £350 million for the delivery of the free central heating programme has been spent on.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  £350 million was a 2001 estimate of the cost of providing the central heating programme, derived from information looking back to 1996. This has since been revised leading to the estimated cost being reduced to £180 million.

  The original commitment remains in place that funding is being made available to ensure that any applicant who meets the eligibility criteria set out in the central heating programme, and comes forward before the programme’s close, will receive a central heating system.

Crofters Commission

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how funding gained from the sale of Crofters Commission land at Beechwood Farm, Inverness, has been allocated.

Allan Wilson: Beechwood farm is owned by Scottish ministers and is used to provide bulls and rams for the Livestock Improvement Schemes, which the Crofters Commission runs on behalf of Scottish ministers.

  Two small pieces of land on Beechwood have been sold recently for a total of £8,676.25.

  The annual Capital Budget for the Crofters Commission makes provision for the forecast level of related capital receipts to offset related capital expenditure. The 2003-04 budget approved by the Parliament made provision for Crofters Commission capital receipts of £1,000. Any excess receipts, in the case of the commission, or any other part of the budget, are used in the first instance to offset any shortfall in planned receipts elsewhere and thereafter to reduce overall budget outturn.

Education

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the training needs of school science technicians.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications for school science technicians are of implementation of the report by the Scottish Science Advisory Committee, Science Matters: making the right connections for Scotland .

Euan Robson: The Executive will respond to the Scottish Science Advisory Committee’s report, Science Matters , shortly. In the meantime, my officials will consider options for future continuing professional development opportunities for school science technicians.

Education

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to enhance the role of school science technicians in the primary and secondary sectors.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the role of school science technicians and their pay and conditions within a national framework.

Euan Robson: The Executive has no plans to review the role or the pay and conditions of school science technicians. These are matters for local authorities as employers.

Local Government Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to section 3.34 of Audit Scotland's report, Following the Public Pound - Controller of Audit's report and Accounts Commission's findings , which states that "the survey indicates that councils were unable in all cases to identify the purpose of the funding provided and statutory authority under which the expenditure was incurred".

Mr Andy Kerr: Following the reports findings, the Accounts Commission has now asked Audit Scotland to carry out further work to establish in more detail how the Code of Guidance on Funding External Bodies (the Code) and Following the Public Pound is being applied by local authorities.

  The Accounts Commission will also consider if the Code itself needs revision. Once this review has been completed Scottish ministers intend to use powers provided by Section 51 of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 to require compliance with the Code.

Local Government Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that local authorities monitor and verify the financial and service performance of funding agreements with organisations providing services for the council.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is for local authorities, in the first instance, to ensure that such arrangements secure Best Value. This became a statutory obligation on commencement of relevant sections of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, and is now backed by an audit and enforcement framework in which the Accounts Commission for Scotland takes a key role.

  In addition, the management of funding agreements is one of the issues covered in the Code of Guidance on Funding External Bodies and Following the Public Pound (the Code) published by COSLA and the Accounts Commission. The Scottish Executive welcomes the decision to review adherence to the code in light of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, and to revise it as necessary. The Accounts Commission’s recent report, Following the Public Pound, is part of this review process.

  Once this review has been completed Scottish ministers intend to use powers provided by Section 51 of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 to require compliance with the Code.

Scottish Executive Publications

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive,  further to the answers to questions S1W-32337 and S2W-1078 by Mr Andy Kerr on 11 March and 16 July 2003, how many publications it has produced since 30 June 2003, giving the cost of each such publication.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is given in Scottish Executive publications in the period 30 June 2003 to 31 March 2004 , a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s reference centre (Bib number 32326).